Dracut music fees hit sour note

Posted by phelpsrephlections on July 24th, 2012

Used to be you paid your property taxes and you received something for it. You got your roads fixed in a timely fashion. You got your trash picked up once a week. Your kids could go to school and sing in the chorus or act in the play.
These days, folks are more often left wondering: Where are my ever-increasing taxes going, aside from paying the salaries and generous benefits for “public servant”?
Well, if you live in Dracut, you can scratch the chorus thing off the list. As crazy as this sounds, the School Committee on Monday night instituted fees to participate in orchestra ($150 in grades 4-6), band (anywhere from $25 to $50, though DHS marching band is free), the high-school and junior-high annual musical ($85 and $65, respectively), winter play ($50) and chorus ($20 K-4, $25 at Englesby, DHS still free).
That’s right, Dracut, if your kids want to sing, you’ll have to pay. (Read more about it here: http://www.lowellsun.com/todaysheadlines/ci_21144290/dracut-adopts-school-music-fees.)
“It’s really an unfortunate situation where we now have to institute these fees,” School Committee Chairman Michael McNamara said.
Indeed, it is Chairman McNamara. Indeed, it is. But how did it get to this point?
Apparently, fees to play sports aren’t enough anymore. Now, participating in an area that has always been considered part of the curriculum will cost money starting in September.
Steven Stone, who will soon take the reins of the Dracut Public Schools, already facing flak from some parents who were against his selection as the next superintendent, will surely face some fire over this decision by the School Committee. Let’s hope he doesn’t fall into the habit of blaming the previous regime.
What’s next? A $50 fee for each subject your kid wants to take? You think I’m kidding? That’s the next fee some intrepid school-board member somewhere will put forth. And the rest of the committee will unanimously agree.